Obama pitches public works spending to create jobs MIAMI (AP) — Trying to show that the economy remains a top priority, President Barack Obama promoted a plan Friday to create construction and other jobs by attracting private money to help rebuild roads, bridges and other public works projects. Obama fleshed out the details during a visit to a Miami port that’s undergoing $2 billion in upgrades paid for with government and private dollars. The quick trip was designed to show that the economy a...

Neither party has cash for student loan rate fix WASHINGTON (AP) — Incoming college freshmen could end up paying $5,000 more for the same student loans their older siblings have if Congress doesn’t stop interest rates from doubling. Sound familiar? The same warnings came last year. But now the presidential election is over and mandatory budget cuts are taking place, making a deal to avert a doubling of interest rates much more elusive before a July 1 deadline. “What is definitely clear, this...

Risk and reward at the dawn of civilian drone age WASHINGTON (AP) — The dawn of the age of aerial civilian drones is rich with possibilities for people far from the war zones where they made their devastating mark as a weapon of choice against terrorists. The unmanned, generally small aircraft can steer water and pesticides to crops with precision, saving farmers money while reducing environmental risk. They can inspect distant bridges, pipelines and power lines, and find hurricane victims st...

Confederate flag at old NC Capitol coming down RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A Confederate battle flag hung inside the old North Carolina State Capitol last week to mark the sesquicentennial of the Civil War is being taken down after civil rights leaders raised concerns. The decision was announced Friday evening, hours after the Associated Press published a story about the flag, which officials said was part of an historical display intended to replicate how the antebellum building appeared in 1863...

Lawmakers tighten belts amid automatic budget cuts WASHINGTON (AP) — Members of Congress are traveling less and worrying more about meeting office salaries. Their aides are contending with long lines to get inside their offices and fewer prospects of a raise. Such are the indignities thrust upon the men and women who brought the country $85 billion in government spending cuts this month. There probably won’t be much sympathy for a senator or congressman making $174,000 a year who is in no dang...

Lawmakers plan to meet 6 days next week LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas legislative leaders say the House and Senate will meet six days next week as they near a self-imposed April 19 deadline to wrap up this year's session. House Speaker Davy Carter and Senate President Michael Lamoureux said the chambers will meet Monday through Saturday next week. Both chambers were off Friday for the Easter holiday. Lamoureux said he didn't believe there was the two-thirds support the Legislatu...

40 years on, Vietnam troop withdrawal remembered Forty years ago, soldiers returning from Vietnam were advised to change into civilian clothes on their flights home because of fears they would be accosted by protesters after they landed. For a Vietnamese businessman who helped the U.S. government, a rising sense of panic set in as the last combat troops left the country on March 29, 1973 and he began to contemplate what he’d do next. A North Vietnamese soldier who heard about the withdrawal ...

House delays override try on voter ID bill LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The Republican sponsor of legislation that would require Arkansas voters to show photo identification at the polls and the Republican state House speaker are clashing over the delay of an attempt to override Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe's veto of the bill. Republican Sen. Bryan King accused Speaker Davy Carter of unnecessarily delaying the override vote on Thursday. Carter said the override attempt was pushed back to nex...

Committee OKs campaign ban on commissioners LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A state Senate committee has advanced legislation that would ban members of the state's Highway or Game and Fish commissions from running for elected office in Arkansas during their term as a commissioner. The Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday endorsed the proposal by Democratic Sen. David Burnett of Osceola that would prohibit the gubernatorial appointees from seeking office during t...

House OKs social media privacy bills LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The Arkansas House has approved bills that would prevent employers and colleges from asking for employees or students to hand over the passwords for Twitter, Facebook or other social media accounts. The House on Thursday approved the two measures by Democratic Rep. Nate Steel of Nashville that would prohibit prospective and current employees and students from having to provide access to their personal social media acco...

Chamber of Commerce backs insurance expansion LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas' largest business lobbying organization on Thursday backed a proposal to provide subsidized health insurance to thousands of low-income residents, a move that could help win over lawmakers skeptical of the alternative to expanding the state's Medicaid program. The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas said it was backing the so-called private option proposal currently being consi...

Proposal to nullify federal gun laws fails LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - An attempt to nullify federal laws on certain firearms in Arkansas has failed to clear a House panel. The House Judiciary Committee voted 6-5 on Thursday in favor of the measure, but it needed 11 votes to pass. The proposal would have made it a crime to enforce any federal laws enacted after Jan. 1, 2013, that regulate guns manufactured in Arkansas that stay within state borders. It also would have required the state's...

Miss. Co. court approves steel mill incentives BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - The Mississippi County Quorum Court has approved $14.5 million in local incentives to bring a $1.1 billion steel mill to the county. The plan approved this week is contingent on the Legislature approving a $125 million financing package for Big River Steel to build the mill near Osceola. Representatives from Nucor Steel, which has its own steel mill in Mississippi County, spoke against the incentive plan. The Blythevil...

DHS: State would save millions with private option LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas would save $670 million over 10 years under a plan to use Medicaid funds to purchase private insurance for newly eligible recipients, according to figures released Wednesday by the Department of Human Services. The savings compare to not expanding Medicaid, department spokeswoman Amy Webb said. "It tells you what it's going to cost in state funds by year," Webb said. "So in the beginning years, you see savings...

A boost for gay marriage: Justices question US law WASHINGTON (AP) — Concluding two days of intense debate, the Supreme Court signaled Wednesday it could give a boost to same-sex marriage by striking down the federal law that denies legally married gay spouses a wide range of benefits offered to other couples. As the court wrapped up its remarkable arguments over gay marriage in America, a majority of the justices indicated they will invalidate part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act — if ...

Senators tour border, say immigration bill near NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) — A bipartisan group of senators crafting a sweeping immigration bill vowed Wednesday that they would be ready to unveil it when Congress reconvenes in less than two weeks after getting a firsthand look at a crucial component of their legislation: security along the U.S.-Mexico border. The four senators — Republicans John McCain and Jeff Flake of Arizona and Democrats Chuck Schumer of New York and Michael Bennet of Colorado...

Interior Dept. cuts mineral payments to 35 states CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Interior is cutting federal mineral payments to 35 states by about $110 million this fiscal year as part of the automatic federal spending cuts that started this month. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead announced this week that his state faces the biggest cut — at least $53 million over the next five months. Wyoming is the nation’s leading coal-producing state and last year received nearly $1 billion in federa...

US swipes at China for hacking allegations WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has taken its first real swipe at China following accusations that the Beijing government is behind a widespread and systemic hacking campaign targeting U.S. businesses. Buried in a spending bill signed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday is a provision that effectively bars much of the federal government from buying information technology made by companies linked to the Chinese government. It’s unclear what impact ...

Senate overrides voter ID veto; House to vote LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The Arkansas Senate voted Wednesday to override Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe's veto of legislation that would require voters to show photo identification before casting a ballot. The Republican-led Senate voted 21-12, along party lines, to override the veto. There was no debate beforehand. The bill's sponsor, Republican state Sen. Bryan King, said he expects the House to vote to override the veto on Thursday. Each chambe...

Univ. of Cent. Ark. alum named new chief of staff CONWAY, Ark. (AP) - The University of Central Arkansas has named UCA graduate and former administrator Kelley Erstine as the school's new chief of staff. The announcement was made Wednesday by UCA President Tom Courtway. Erstine replaces Jack Gillean - who resigned last June for undisclosed reasons. Gillean has since been charged with burglary and allegedly gave keys to a student who stole tests from professors' offices. He has pleaded not gui...